Metal folding shipping-case



G. C. PARKER. METAL FOLDING SHIPPING CASE APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1919 m 2 4 b m m 2. n m.

G. G.v PARKER. METAL FOLDING SHIPPI'NG cAsE. APPLICATION FILE-D SEPT- 23; L9H! Patentod Feb. 22,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET?- UNITED STATES {PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE o. PARKER, or EXPO, vraernm, assrenon or QNE-THiRD To 1). J. ALEX- super. AND ONE-THIRD TO ALZBHEU$ F nn-ins, orn on NO FOLK, VIRGINIA.

- Miami. FOLDING SHIPPING-CASE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, GEORGE C. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Expo, in the county of Norfolk, State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Folding Shipping-Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip-' tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to folding shipping cases and while well adapted for the ship-' ping of eggs, it will of course be understood that it may be employed in connection with any goods for which it is adapted.

The object of the invention is to provide a metallic shipping case that may be easily and quickly unfolded or set up and as readily folded or knocked down so as to occupy small space for shipment, a further object of the invention being to so construct the case as that it may be economical in the use of metal, may be cheap to manufacture, will be extremely durable and will be rigid when set up and ready for use.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a case embodying the present invention, one side being swung outwardly to permit of folding of the ends and the partition, one of the ends being folded into the bottom pan.

Fig; 2 is a section taken transversely through the case .set up, the section being staggered to include the openings of the closure members and to show the partition with its equipment in elevation;

Fig; 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view through one corner of the case. 7 I

Fig. 4: is a perspective view showing the case folded. T

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken centrally and longitudinally through the case when folded.

Referring now to the drawings the present case comprises a bottom, rectangular pan 10, having the side walls 11 and'12 and the end walls 13 and llrespectively, this pan,'in practice, being preferably pressed from a sheet of metal. The side walls have each a series of spaced ears 15 that are bent into tubular form to constitute hinge members, the ears of each side receiving a pintle wire 16. Sides 17 and 18- are provided for V Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 1921 Application filed September 23, 1919. Serial No. 325,770.

the case and each of which'hasa series of ears 19 in spaced relation at its lower edge and which are bent intotubular formand alternate .with the ears 15 so as to receive jo ntly with them, the corresponding pintle w re 16. Thus, are the sides 17 and 18 hinged to the pan sides.

The ends 13 and 14' of the pan have also each a series of spaced, upstanding ears '20,

that arebent into tubular form to receive a pintlewlre 21. Ends 22 and 23 are provided for the case and each-has a depending series of spaced ears 24 that alternate with the cor'- responding ears 20 and are bent intotubular form to receive the corresponding pintle wire 21. Thus are the ends 22 and23 hinged t-o'the corresponding ends of the pan. r

Disposed transversely of the bottom of the pan and mid-way ofits ends, is anangle plate 25 having upwardly directed ears 26 that are in spaced relation and bent into tubular form to receive a pintle wire 27 and a partition plate 28- has ears 29 depending from its lower edge and bent into tubular form and alternating with the ears 26 to-re- -ceive jointly therewith thepintle wire,to constitute a hinge'connection between the partition plate and the angle 'platewhich'is' secured to the bo'ttom'of the pans Theend edge'portions'of the ends of the body of the case are turned outwardly at right angles to engage within the open beads 30 that are bent inwardlyfrom the end por- "ti'onsof the sides of the body, this engagement being effected by swinging the ends upwardly and outwardly and serving to limit such movement when the ends arein', vertical positions. 'To'holdthe ends from swinging inwardly,latch plates 31 are pivoted against their inner faces, and have their free ends turned inwardly and at right angles as shown at 32. Inverted L-shaped slots 33 are formed in the upper corners of the sides of the body, of the case with the horizontal 1 7 portions of the slots directed inwardly of the sides. The point of the metal within the angle of each of these L-shaped' slots, is de flected inwardly so that when the corresponding latch plate is swung downwardly, its laterally or inwardly directed portion 32 will pass "through the horizontally directed portion of the slot while the body of the latch will passdownwardly of the vertical I portion of the slot and will wedge, so that 7 slots 43 and 44 that register when the bosses the end wall of the body of the case cannot swing inwardly. Similar slots 33 areformed near the upper edges of the sides of the body to receive similar angular latch plates 34 that are pivoted to the partition near its upper edge, to prevent folding of the partition in one direction and to lock the partition to the side walls so that they may not be displaced outwardly at their middle portions. 7

At the upper edge of each side 17 and 18 of the body of the case is formed an upstanding series of spaced tubular ears 35 that receive a pintle wire 36, about which are engaged the tubular ears 37 formed at the outer longitudinal edges of the cover plates .38 and 39, the end portions of which are flanged downwardly as shown at 4:0, to en'- gage against-the outer faces of the ends of the body of the case. The metal of each of the cover plates is struck downwardly, to form the circular bosses 41 and 42 respectively, one of which is slightly larger than the other to receive the other and through the bottoms of these bosses are formed the are mutually engaged. The upper edge portion of the partition is cut away vat each side of its middle portlon to produce a tongue45 and when the cover plates are active, this tongue projects through the slots 43 and 4a to receive in its perforation 46 above the bottom of the uppermost boss, 21. seal orlock, thus to hold the case closed and topositively position the partition.

Fillers of any desired style may be employed in the case or the case may be used without fillers, depending upon the character vofthe goods being shipped, and the dimensions of the pan'are such as to permit of packing of the fillers into it.

It will be noted that the angle plate to which the partition is hinged, is of lesser height than either end of the pan, while one end of the pan is of lesser height than the other. This is in order that the members hinged thereto may fold readily into the the body may fold one above the other, over pan, one above the other. Also, it will be .noted than one side of the pan is higher than the other,.both being higher than the higher end of the pan, so that the sides of the pan. When folded, the cover members lie "upon their corresponding sides of the body of the case.

Itwillbe understood from the foregoing that there is provided a case of extreme durability, that will be rigid when set up and which when folded, will occupy a very small resultant tongue disposed to project through said opening and lie within the recess of the boss when the closure-member is in a closed position and the notches being proportioned to receive the boss with the closure upon the wall, the tongue terminating flush with the upper edge of its wall and being adapted to receive a retaining device for the closure member, exterior to said member.

'2. vA folding shippingcase in which a foldabl side wall is provided with an inverted L-shaped slot with the metal bounding the slot within the angle of the L, deflected inwardlycf the case, and a foldable end wall has a latch plate pivoted to it and having its free end portion turned laterally and removably engaged behind said deflected metal of the side walls 3. A folding shipping case comprising a bottom member, side and end walls hinged to the bottom member to fold thereover, a partition having hinge connection with the bottom member, to. fold thereover, the side walls having each a series of slots including each a vertical and a laterally extending portion, the metal within the angle of the slot being deflected inwardly, angular latch plates pivoted to the partition and the end walls respectively and having laterally directed end portions to engage behind the deflected metal of the side walls, respectively, the partition having an upwardly. directed and perforated tongue with a recess at each side, and a'cover member hinged to each side wall and having a slotted boss struck therefrom with a corresponding exterior recess, the bosses being disposed to fit one within the other and to receive in their slots the tongue of the partition with its free end within the recess of the outer boss when the case is setup, the perforation of the tongue being disposed to receive a locking element above the corresponding recess bottom. In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

V GEORGE 1C. PARKER; Witnesses THOS. BOWEN,

WAILES HANK. 

